MUET dedicates less than one per cent to research

Varsity's senate approves Rs5.5b spending for fiscal 2025-26

HYDERABAD:

The Mehran University of Engineering and Technology (MUET), Jamshoro, will spend Rs5.548 billion in its upcoming fiscal year but less than one per cent, Rs53.488 million, of its budget has been dedicated to research purposes.

The 44th meeting of the varsity's senate on Friday, which met under the chair of provincial minister Ismail Rahu, sanctioned the budget for 2025-26.

While addressing the meeting, Rahu deplored that the Higher Education Commission, Islamabad, has been constantly slashing funding for the public sector universities in Sindh. On the other hand the minister credited the provincial government for filling gaps in the varsities' finances from its coffers. He appreciated MUET for providing education of academic excellence to students belonging to middle and poor families of the province.

Meanwhile, the budget has earmarked Rs3,088 million for salaries and perks of the faculty, administrative officers and staff. Another sum of Rs1,132 million has been set aside for pensions. The utility bills and miscellaneous expenditures will consume Rs1,326 million

Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Taha Hussain Ali and Director Finance Zeeshan Memon briefed the meeting about the sources of MUET's revenues. According to them, the Sindh HEC has enhanced its grant from Rs1,869 million in the outgoing fiscal to Rs2,149 million for the upcoming year.

A separate sum of Rs100 million is being given for MUET's Khairpur Mirs campus. Memon claimed that a deficit of Rs400 million has been borne for the campus in the previous year. According to the DF, the provincial government has not provided any separate grants for the campus since 2019.

He told that MUET spent Rs2,274 million on Khairpur campus from its budget till 2024-25. The meeting urged the federal government to sanction a special grant for MUET's water research center which is also running in the deficit. The participants were briefed that the university's solarization project is going to cost Rs150 million.

The VC said his administration has been working hard to ensure that MUET met its expenses from its own income. He added that university's teaching departments and faculty have been fast securing projects from the private sector which is resultantly helping the varsity's finances.